The present invention relates to a printer. More particularly, the invention relates to a high speed printer.
The printer system is intended for use with various types of original equipment to be incorporated therein, either as a rack-mountable module or as an integral part of such a system.
According to the invention, there is provided a printer system which includes:
a housing;
a front panel arranged at the end of the housing, the front panel having an opening defined therein;
a carrier slideably arranged relative to the housing to be movable in the opening between a retracted position and an ejected position, the carrier carrying:
a receptacle for a supply of print media;
a receptacle for a supply of ink; and
a print engine including a page width printhead.
In this specification, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term xe2x80x9cpage width printheadxe2x80x9d is to be understood as a printhead having a printing zone that prints one line at a time on a page, the line being parallel either to a longer edge or a shorter edge of the page. The line is printed as a whole as the page moves past the printhead and the printhead is stationary, i.e. it does not raster.
When the carrier is in its retracted position, a print media slot may be defined between the front panel and the carrier through which print media are ejected after printing of images on the print media.
The carrier may include a chassis which is supported on a guide means in the housing.
The receptacle for the supply of print media may then be a platen carried on the chassis. Likewise, the receptacle for the supply of ink may be a receiving formation in which an ink cartridge is removably received. The receiving formation may include a locking arrangement for releasably locking the ink cartridge in position relative to the carrier and the print engine.
A second print engine may be arranged in the housing, in opposed relationship to the print engine arranged on the carrier when the carrier is in its retracted position, for effecting printing on both surfaces of the print media.
An indicating means may be contained in the front panel for indicating when printer consumables, being the supply of print media and the supply of ink, require replenishment. The indicating means may be in the form of a visual annunciator, such as one or more light emitting diodes.